The researchers added to the pressure. They told the students that those who did well on the second test would get money. They also told them that their performance would affect other students as part of a team effort.

Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of twelve percent worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of five percent.

Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test.

Professor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B- for those who did not.

SIAN BEILOCK: "What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious, who'd done our writing intervention, all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. Those students most prone to worry were performing just as well as their classmates who don't normally get nervous in these testing situations."

But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam or presentation? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.

The researchers wrote about their findings in the journal Science.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. Tell us if this writing intervention works for you. Or tell us how you deal with anxiety before a big event. Share your comments at voaspecialenglish.com or on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. You can also find us on YouTube and iTunes at VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.